BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University Volleyball is set to host No. 6 Wayne State College and Augustana University Friday and Saturday in Bemidji. Friday's match will support Bucky's Pantry and Saturday will celebrate Beaver Volleyball Parents.
The Beavers are 7-13 overall with a 4-8 record in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference play. The team has won its last two matches, taking down No. 18 University of Minnesota Duluth and University of Minnesota Crookston. Tuesday's match against UMD ended in a 3-2 victory for BSU, taking the second, third and fifth sets. Setter
Madison Tripp marked a .571 attacking percentage which included the match-winning tip over the net in the fifth set. This win over UMD marked the first time in 27 years, 40 matches, that the Beavers were able to take down the Bulldogs.
Sophomore
Lily Riese has become a dominating force up front, marking 269 kills for BSU this season. Assisting Riese on many of her attempts, Tripp has accumulated 466 assists in her freshman campaign. Libero
Kylie Struble is a brick wall in the back, marking a team-leading 263 dig this season. She, along with
Ava Athman, have each marked 22 service aces for the Green & White, leading the team. At the net, it's freshman
Karley Dunham with 54 total blocks this season, marking 11 solo and 43 assisted for an average of .79 per set.
The nationally ranked Wildcats boast an 18-3 record with 11-1 in the NSIC. WSC leads the NSIC with a .857 win percentage overall and .917 in conference play. The team is currently on a five-match win streak that began with a sweep over then No. 22 Minnesota State University Mankato. The Wildcats' last loss happened on Oct. 4 against then No. 11 Concordia University, St. Paul when they were swept in three sets.
Channatee Robles and Chloe Hanel lead the Wildcats' scoring efforts with 298 and 296 points, respectively. Robles has marked a team-leading 254 kills for an average of 3.30 per set and an attacking percentage of .230. Hanel has been more efficient with her attacking efforts, marking a .397 attack percentage on 238 kills. The team's setter room is led by Molly Romano with 830 total assists this season, averaging just under 11 per set. Defensively, Anna Borner leads with 294 digs and Hanel has the top blocker spot with 80 total blocks, 40 more than her next closest teammate.
Augustana hosts a 9-11 record with 3-9 in the conference, taking 13
th in the NSIC one spot behind Bemidji State. The Vikings have lost seven of their last eight matches, winning once on Oct. 18 against University of Sioux Falls, 3-2. They have been swept in three sets during four of those eight matches. The Vikings will play at UMD Friday before making the trip to Bemidji Saturday.
Maya Wente leads the Vikings in scoring with 296 points, averaging 3.75 per set this season. This includes a .325 attacking percentage with 246 kills. She is also AU's top blocking unit, marking 23 herself and 54 assisted. Defensively, Gabby Jones has marked 203 digs from her defensive specialist/libero spot, marking a .966 receiving percentage.
Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products to Friday's match. These donations will be brought to Bucky's Pantry, an on-campus food pantry for BSU students to utilize through the year. On Saturday, BSU Volleyball parents will be recognized prior to the start of the match. All NSIC matches are available for streaming on the NSIC Network.
For more information on the Bemidji State Volleyball program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X (@BSUBeaversVB), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) and like them on Instagram (@BSUBeaversVB).
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
